


not the slightest trace

by AnarkyLantern



Category: Beauty and the Beast (2017)
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-22
Updated: 2017-04-28
Packaged: 2018-10-23 01:26:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10709253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnarkyLantern/pseuds/AnarkyLantern
Summary: Gaston shows Lefou his true colors far earlier, in this AU where the two of them accompany Belle to find her father.





	1. Chapter 1

Disney owns all characters mentioned herein. I have purchased multiple licensed items related to this film for myself and local donation drives. I've also seen it five times so far.

 

 

Gaston decides to try again with Belle that morning, most confident in his advantage when her father isn't around. Lefou follows, trying to minimize the disaster sure to come. This causes a much different course of events when Phillipe returns sans Maurice while Belle is trying to push Gaston away.

But her father being in danger changes things. She doesn't trust Gaston to accompany her but she studies his companion. Lefou is steadfast and logical, always trying to get Gaston to do the right thing. Perhaps even fancies him somewhat, for some reason? She agrees the *three* of them should go search for her father before it gets dark. Gaston agrees but he watches Lefou with a suspicion he never had before. Lefou has given him this golden opportunity with Belle but this whole setup has made Gaston on edge.

They find Maurice's cart and head further into the forest, each on his or her own horse.

Despite it being June, snow comes into view, followed by a mysterious castle with high medieval towers.

"Whose fortress is this?" Gaston frowns,

"My family has managed and protected this seigneurial region for generations." "Maybe you lost a castle at some point?" Lefou offers.

As they get closer, walking through the gardens, Belle's eyes widen. "This entrance, it can't be more than 100 years old." Lefou looks up at the arm holding a candle, "It looks pretty run down to me, are you sure?" Belle nods, "I got some Silverstre prints for my birthday some years back. This is definitely a baroque addition like the one at Vincennes."

Gaston pulls the door open. He's pretty sure Lefou isn't competition by this point but the riddle of why he's chaperone material is still there. Gaston is not the brightest man as Lefou is clinging to him as they enter the castle in a way he supposes Belle should.

Instead, Belle tells them to follow her upstairs because that's likely the prison, the older parts of the palace often being retrofitted into cells. She darts up the stairs like some sort of soldier, leaving the two well behind, especially after she hears her father coughing.

The beast confronts Gaston and Lefou on their way up and Gaston tells Lefou to keep going. He's a hunter and he can already tell what faces him is something of a man too. "The old man is in your donjon upstairs, am I correct?" "Yes." Part of Gaston wants a fight here and now, but Lefou had advised him to be smart about rushing right into battle back when the Portuguese came all those years ago and that had paid off quite well. So, dangerous pastime it is. Gaston's future is at stake once more. "What use is the old man as a prisoner?" The beast growls after a moment of silence. Inwardly, Gaston beams. This creature really has no idea of what he's doing.

"He stole from me. Or do you all come from a place where that's acceptable?" "Hmmm," Gaston pretends to be thinking about that but he's actually studying his chances of shooting down this creature in this dark stairwell. "I haven't got all day," the beast growls. Gaston grumbles because he's only got half a plan at this point. "Prisoner exchange?" He asks. "Only the girl is really of any use to me," the beast mutters. Gaston frowns, "That 'girl' is my future wife. I won't have her..." "Would you care to take her place then?" The beast asks mockingly.

Shouts of "no", "you can't" and the like, as well as some coughing, come from the others as they come down the staircase. Inwardly, Gaston beams as he can finally see a clearer path to victory. "Oh, Belle, I must. No one else can take your father home and nurse him back to health." Belle clearly is troubled by this but quickly hugs Gaston and whispers, "I will gather a rescue party for you as well as soon as I can." She then rushes downstairs, her father leaning against her. Lefou looks disbelievingly at all of this, "Y-you really love her?" Gaston just turns and heads upstairs, hiding his smirk. The answer must be that somehow, Lefou is *jealous* of Belle underneath it all.

The Beast glances at Lefou warily. "I'm just here to say goodbye to Gaston." The Beast just shrugs. He's figured that maybe allowing Gaston to make this grand gesture of love and then freeing him might be what ends the curse for evermore.

Gaston is standing by an open cell. He grabs Lefou by the chin. "Oh Lefou, you would do *anything* for me, wouldn't you?" Lefou turns bright red but he looks at Gaston skeptically, "What sort of game..." Gaston presses a finger against Lefou's lips and purrs, "Shhhh... you don't know what it means to me that you stayed behind." He then shoves Lefou inside and slams the door shut. "I'll be sure to name one of my children after you."

"How could you!" The beast roars. "I trust this fulfills the debt, beast?" Gaston replies.

"You're a coward," the beast hisses, "but technically, yes."

"Don't be so fussy. He will make a better meal or servant or something to act out your lust on."

At this, Lefou's legs give out, "Gaston?" He's still in shock.

"Just get yourself out before I change my mind," the beast growls in a low, dangerous tone.

Once he was sure the wretched man who now reminded him so much of his own father was out of earshot, the beast opens the cell. Lefou huddles in a corner, sobbing. "You may leave as well." Lefou looks up in shock, "really?" "What I most need now, you couldn't possibly provide. I had hoped your 'friend'..."

The beast's ears then perk up and he races to the window. "He took both of the horses, didn't he?" "Yes." Lefou brushes away his tears, his eyes hardening, "I'm not going back anywhere I'm so obviously not wanted." The beast just looks away.

 

 

Next time- Gaston has to explain why he escaped and Lefou didn't.

Meanwhile, the servants debate other ways to break the curse.


	2. no change in ❤️

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle tries to rally the town to save Gaston but no one believes her.

Disney owns all characters mentioned herein. I have purchased multiple licensed items related to this film for myself and local donation drives. I've also seen it five times so far. I'm also listening to "lost in a book" right now. It's a little odd to think of Cogsworth possibly fighting in the American Revolution but it fit with a scene here, so...

 

Belle is in the tavern, recounting what happened in hopes of getting some of the townspeople to join her rescue party, after leaving her father in Agathe's care. "Are you calling me a liar?" "The whole town knows you didn't like Gaston's attentions." Stanley shakes his head, "but on the other hand, wouldn't you and your father simply leave if you murdered Gaston over it?" "Ummm... Thank you?" Belle replies.

Stanley adds, perhaps a bit too hopefully, "Does that mean you will be taking Gaston off the market, then?" Belle turns red but points out that's a moot point given that Gaston is currently the prisoner of the Beast. Jean the Potter is particularly skeptical about that part. "Beasts and talking teacups? Stuff and nonsense..." Belle insists Lefou will back up their account as soon as he returns. Stanley reaches against the bar for Lefou's favorite mug, the Don Quixote one, eager to see his crush now that Gaston may be getting married off. 

Someone enters the tavern. 

Stanley looks up eagerly but it's not Lefou. 

Merde.

\------------------------------------------

"Why couldn't the mademoiselle have stayed instead?" Cogsworth grumbled, effectively starting the servants' meeting in Mme Garderobe's room. 

"Perhaps they're both Ganymedes?" Lumiere muses as he glances over at Plummette, already bored of this conversation.

Chip frowns, "Mama, what's a..." "Hush, Chip. Why don't you go play with Froufrou?" Chip opens his mouth to protest and subsequently gets pushed into the hallway with the rug dog.

"Perhaps our visitor is but we were all there at our prince's ball. He had every eligible maiden there. There's no way..." Cogsworth begins. "He couldn't pick one. I can't tell you how many men I've encountered, particularly in the arts, who made the same sort of elaborate display to hide this particular tendency. The Maestro, he is such a rare exception to this," Garderobe beams.

"What if non-marrying love can break the spell?" Chip calls from outside.  
"Chip! Go play with Froufrou!"  
"Oui, Maman."

"Ok, so perhaps the master doth protest too much or perhaps not. We'll find out soon enough, as I did while fighting alongside Baron Von Steuben... Next order of business- giving M. Lefou a proper bedroom," Cogsworth muses.

Lumiere drops Plummette in shock, having long lost interest in this conversation and feeling the need to romance the feather duster instead. "We're giving him a room?" Cogsworth nods. "The master was all set to release him- he can't possibly object to him using an empty room, can he?" Mrs. Potts adds.

\------------------------------------------

Belle rushes over to Gaston, "How did your escape from the Beast? No one here believes me!" Gaston beams down at her and then looks over at the others in the tavern, "I did indeed rescue Belle's father from one such monster, yes." 

"And Lefou? Where is he?" Stanley hisses. All eyes look on Gaston in his least favorite way... Suspicion, dawning horror, and, from Stanley alone- pure fury. 

"The Beast ate him." 

Stanley sets down the mug, breaking off its handle in the process, and storms out of the tavern. Gaston is inwardly pleased to find his suspicions about Stanley confirmed. 

"I'm so sorry," Belle says to Gaston. "I know he was your best friend..." 

Gaston stares blankly at her. 

"Oh, that... Thank you. I suppose all of you here deserve to know what happened.... Picture me trapped in one of this monster's dungeons, all too easy a sacrifice to make for the woman I love... Lefou saying goodbye and taking down my instructions and then, suddenly, this beast devours him before my very eyes. Our deal negated, I grabbed the monster by the throat until he was dead. I then jumped back as the cell door fell under his weight. But it was too late for Lefou, except for us to name our first son after him, Belle." Belle takes a deep breath, avoiding Gaston's gaze. "I wouldn't impose a wedding on you so soon after such an unbearable loss, but should things move that way, of course. The man did save my father." She quickly courtesies and walks out- her expression utterly unreadable. 

Belle catches sight of Stanley sitting down on the fountain, his posture completely crumbled from grief. She walks over with the determined stride of a soldier.

"Well, if it isn't Madame Gaston," Stanley sneers, refusing to look up at her. Belle glares nonetheless, "Hardly. If what Gaston said was true, why would he abandon the body of his comrade? In the Iliad, the gods protected Hector's body and..." Stanley snaps his head up, face red and tear stained, "This isn't one of your stupid little books." "Maybe, but we both know Gaston. If he had actually killed a giant beast like the one I saw at the castle, would he really come back without a trophy?" 

 

Gaston couldn't hear their conversation as he left the tavern but he was pleased to see his quarries together- future wife and... what was the name for a male mistress? Gaston shook his head, imagining his future life with Belle and Stanley. 

 

Next time: Le Fou et La Bete. And Gaston being more and more of a creep.


	3. harder to move on

Disney owns all characters mentioned herein. I have purchased multiple licensed items related to this film for myself and local donation drives. I've also seen it seven times so far. I hope for an eighth before the DVD release next month.

 

Lefou sits alone in his cell, the door left wide open by a Beast who doesn't care if he stays or not.

What hurts most is that he and Gaston (that- that bastard!) had been a team. Gaston's inclination was to race into battle whereas Lefou reined him in to fight smart and minimize their losses against the Portuguese. War had created an intimacy between them but it ended up yet another dream Lefou had left behind over the years. He let Gaston have all the glory, even amplified it, kept the man's innner beast at bay, and humored him in his pursuit of that odd girl... Lefou supposes, or wishfully thinks, it was Gaston simply wanting heirs... Certainly, the man can have had any other girl in town for that. Was he that much of a sadist to pursue the one who wouldn't? What was Belle's deal anyway? Was she frigid? Some sort of creature like him? The word saffo crosses his mind but he can't place it. 

Nevertheless, Lefou smiles darkly at the idea of Gaston marrying Belle and then finding her chasing the bimbettes between pregnancies. What a crush to his pitiful ego, especially give his disdain towards them. Many other awful fates for Gaston cross Lefou's mind before he hears someone approach the cell.

\---------------------------------------

~fifteen minutes earlier.~

"Is he still here?" The Beast mutters as Mrs. Potts comes into the west wing with his tea. "I believe so. I was thinking of bringing tea up in his cell after..."

The Beast takes a sip and growls softly. The teapot refuses to back down. "You misunderstand me, Mrs. Potts. Obviously the last thing I need is to be accused of being inhospitable again..." The teapot blinks at him, "Master?" He gulps down the rest of the tea as Chip giggles. The Beast closes his eyes, inwardly grateful for the little teacup's spirit and then all the more guilty for the innocent child being deprived of a normal childhood and even his father because of him. "If he must squat here like a rejected lover, I won't have it be in the donjon. It's bad enough we have to keep prisoners in the oldest part of the chateau..."

\------------

"The beast isn't the same sort as the one that plagued the people of Gévaudan," Belle begins. Stanley just shakes his head, "More things from your books?" Belle scowls as they approach Agathe's home, "Hardly. The Marquis de Lafayette was a child when he went off to hunt it. It's famous!"

Stanley just walks past her, "Lefou is my only concern." "You care for him." Stanley turns to look at her, stunned. "Pere Robert doesn't leave _those_ books out in the chapel but you really should ask him about Christopher Marlowe's theology," Belle smirks.

"Are you talking about me?" Pere Robert asks as Belle and Stanley come into Agathe's sanctuary. "Stanley here has some theological issues he wants to discuss with you later," Belle beams. 

Maurice is sitting on a makeshift bed being tended by Agathe. "Belle, did you discuss marriage with Gaston?" her father asks sternly. Belle looks aghast, "I was grateful he got you away from the Beast but I have had my doubts since he returned without Lefou." Agathe quietly goes off to make tea. "Belle, he asked to reserve a wedding date," Pere Robert says, "I could hardly believe it, so I went looking for you and your father to find out what was going on."

Belle takes an extremely deep, long breath, terrifying all her male onlookers and causing Agathe to chuckle. She then grabs Stanley by the arm, "We're going to find out what happened to Lefou _right_ now." 

\---------------------------------------

The servants watch in bemusement as the Beast drags Lefou from the donjon with various levels of success. The human is stronger than he looks.

"I don't want a bedroom! Gaston left me here to rot and... And I let him and so..." 

The Beast wonders if his own sense of self pity is that bad. He resolves to sleep in his mother's bed from now on. 

"Monsieur..." 

"Lefou." 

The Beast gets up close and studies Lefou's face.

"My father said my family has had that name for centuries..." 

"Ah, you come from jesters." The Beast wants to say more but he knows now is not the time to bring up lost memories. 

Lefou stares at the Beast, "What?"

"From the period following the fall of the Roman Empire. Many families took names from their professions around then," the Beast explained. 

"You don't even know me. Certainly, I don't deserve a bedroom here."

"Your friend was incredibly cruel to leave you behind. However long you need to recover from that... And who said anything about a bedroom. The grand singerie is sure to restore your spirits."

"A room full of monkeys?" Lefou asks. "You want me to sleep in a room with animals?" "All the living creatures under this roof were cursed, animals among them. No, this is merely a salon with a simple daybed and paintings of monkeys wearing human clothes and doing human things." Lefou blinks, "is that common in palaces?" "It was at one point. The prince Conde had one at Chantilly... here it is..." 

Lefou smiles as he looks at the colorful wall paintings of monkey alchemists and ladies and such. The beast is relieved. "They'll be good friends for you, better than..." Lefou glances over at him, "Gaston wasn't just a friend. I-I wanted him... I know it's sick..." The Beast growls at him, "There is nothing wrong with you. Poor taste, but nothing else. Come and I will show you." 

\-------------------------------

After sending a messenger off with his letter, Gaston figures it was only proper to call on his future wife first, only to find an empty house. Undeterred, he walks over to the tavern, expecting to find Stanley in his small upstairs lodging. A less egotistical man would hoped.

Gaston falls to his knees, his libido on fire. But it can't be a coincidence they're both gone. What happens next? He's got to consider the big picture. His life is over if the town learns what he did to win Belle over. Maybe the inventor girl already suspects. Gaston gets on his horse. Stanley probably is just nursing that crush on Lefou but Gaston is confident that he can be reasoned into trading up. It's still daylight, so wolves won't be a problem. And his backup plan is already in effect.

tbcontinued.


	4. a bit alarming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Discoveries are made and fights start.

Disney owns all characters mentioned herein. I have purchased multiple licensed items related to this film for myself and local donation drives. I've also seen it seven times in theatres, four on airplanes and countless times on my digital combo pack.

 

Gaston catches sight of Pere Robert walking back into town. The priest tries to avoid eye contact but Gaston is relentless, “Were you consulting with the witch? I suppose you miss that from Africa.” “I am as French as you are, Monsieur,” Pere Robert hisses. “Of course, of course...” Gaston replies as he follows the priest toward the church. 

Silence. 

Then, finally, “If you must know, I was verifying that Maurice had given his blessing to the match you intended.” A more clever man might have noticed the use of past tense. 

________________________________________

Stanley doesn’t much care for a world where Lefou is possibly dead and the town oddball is possibly more trustworthy than the town hero. But there he is, trudging deep into the woods alongside her. 

“Thank you for accompanying me,” she says.

“It has nothing to do with you. You are the only person who can lead me to Lefou or the monster who killed him,” Stanley replies coldly. 

“I know you’re worried about him but that’s no reason to be unpleasant. What have I ever done to you?”

Stanley glares down at her, “None of this would have happened if you just married Gaston. Lefou would be safe and away from him.”

Belle’s eyes widened and then, she burst into laughter. “Gaston isn’t going to stop having people ‘on the side’ if he gets married, Stanley.” 

Stanley shakes his head, “Wretched, cynical girl. How do I know Gaston isn’t covering for you abandoning Lefou?”

Belle rolls her eyes, ever ahead of her time, “Go back and ask Gaston. I’ll get Lefou and bring him home.”

“Fine!”

“Fine!”

Stanley stomps back towards town.

The two of them will never ever really be friends.

________________________________________

The Beast hands Lefou a book open to a page of a pair of Ancient Greek warriors- one bandaging the other. “Achilles and Patroclus, heroes of the Trojan War and great lovers. I personally prefer King Arthur but you couldn’t put down the Iliad...” the Beast begins, caught up in the moment. “What?" "Forget I said anything." "No! Did we know each other? Why don't I remember that?" Lefou asks. 

"You're better off not knowing," the Beast whispers as he storms off.

Lefou just falls to his knees in shock, "I-l knew how to read?"

TBC


	5. bittersweet and strange

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A flashback concerning the Beast’s parents, Lefou coming to terms with a surprising revelation and Stanley sees just how awful Gaston really is.

Disney owns all characters mentioned herein. I have purchased multiple licensed items related to this film for myself and local donation drives. I've also seen it seven times in theatres, five on airplanes and countless times on my digital combo pack.

Dedicated to all victims of real life Gastons. You are strong.

 

Flashback: 

The beast's father was a seigneur whose estate was large enough to be called a principality and thus him to be called a prince, alongside his progeny. He was also a prince of the blood but fourth or fifth in line for the throne during most of his life. The bride chosen for him was an exceptionally kind and clever young woman with some cousins who held claims to other thrones throughout Europe. Oddly enough, it was her logic that won him over. She saw nothing at Versailles but the roots of a coming self-destruction, a vast echo chamber while the antimonarchist literature in Paris only increased in rancor. 

She encouraged him to keep to his lovely medieval chateau and the town on its outskirts, to determine taxes based on the town's income any given year and numerous other reforms. But her greatest triumph was getting their young son to be tutored alongside some of the children from Villeneuve, arguing that was the best way to prepare him to be a good seigneur or even king. Her husband insisted the children had to have some sort of nobility lineage but some of it was quite remote. For example, Lefou came from a family that had been named for working as court jesters during Merovingian times. Gaston was from a noblesse d’epee family, their estate dating back to the time of the Franks, but their fortune was depleted. The prince’s mother did not argue the point, knowing Gaston would be a terrible influence. The schoolmaster would just have to deal.

And then she died and it all went worse than for naught. Perhaps the widowed seigneur became a complete nihilist as a result, or even blamed his wife for dying, but her body was still warm when he set about utterly destroying her legacy. 

The prince’s schoolmates were immediately sent back to Villeneuve. He begged and begged for at least his best friend to stay but his father would have none of it.

Most of the charming old medieval chateau was torn down and rebuilt in the latest style, leaving only the old donjon to use as a prison. The previous tax system was reinstated and the young prince was instructed to keep it up as most of the rebuilding was only completed after his father's death.   
________________________________________

Lefou sits on his bed, staring at a book whose title he can't decipher and trying to remember being able to read. Bits of vague recollection come and almost instantaneously. It somewhat reminded him of how M. Jean woke up each day as though he had lost go something. Could this be related? And if so, why did the Beast remember? Did the other servants have such memories too? If such things were actually memories and not some lie Lefou can't quite make sense of. To what purpose would such a lie serve? 

________________________________________

Stanley comes back into town to find Gaston waiting near Belle's house. "Where have you been?” 

“Why didn’t you bring the beast’s body back as a hunting trophy?” Stanley asks in response.

“I-I.... had to make sure Maurice and Belle returned safely.”

Stanley wants to believe him, to think that awful girl is to blame but something seems off. Gaston puts an arm around his shoulders, “Come, we can discuss this further chez moi.” 

Gaston pushes Stanley inside, wasting no time in pressing him up against the wall and kissing him. “What is this?” Stanley hisses.

“I have been so lonely since I lost Lefou. You and I must find comfort in eachother. It’s what he would have wanted. And you’re so much much like me, that it’s perfect.”

Stanley looks at him with disbelief and disgust. “Yet you seek to be married. Is this what you want? For us to have wives for show and...”

“Hardly. I require sons to pass on my estate but I won’t share you,” Gaston purred in tones meant to be romantic.

Stanley glares at him. “My god, Belle was right. You left Lefou behind too, didn’t you?”

Gaston looks annoyed, “If you ever hope to see him again, you’ll do exactly as I say.” 

Stanley raises a knee, hitting Gaston where he knows it will hurt the most.   
“No. You’re worse than I thought.” He steps over Gaston’s crumbled form and reaches for the door handle .

“Go on, then, tell the town all about me. I’ll just tell them how losing Lefou warped your little sodomite mind and they’ll throw you in Maison des Lunes or worse. And then, you’ll never see Lefou again for certain.” 

Stanley laughs, stepping over Gaston, pulling out his sword and stomping down on one of the other man’s legs, “You better hope not. I will kill you in the slowest, most horrible way if Lefou has been at all harmed.” 

“Is that so?” Gaston whimpers even as his eyes are full of hatred for his former henchman.

“I shall put it like this. We both know I hate books even more than you do, but I will pick up Titus Andronicus for some ideas.” Stanley resheaths his sword and slams the door. 

Gaston just lies there, debating whether calling for help is worth the damage to his reputation.

TBC


End file.
